Wildflower seeds, Highgrove and head colds

"Please don't walk on Mummy's head, darling!"

When I uttered these pained words I realised my weekend was not going well. A husband away for a stag weekend in Amsterdam, a streaming cold and the need to entertain three hyperactive children does not make for a good combination.  At this point I had collapsed on the sofa, my body making it quite clear it could talk or stand but definitely not both at the same time.

Of course, this was all my own fault.  I had, after all, taken a whole day off that week. An indulgent, child-free, 12 hour break, touring Highgrove with fellow Tweeters (covered with far more panache that I can manage both here and here). Not only that, the trip coincided with the first day of term. This officially made me a Bad Mother so at the very least I was expecting a plague of frogs.  In the circumstances, I think I got off lightly with a head cold and an absentee spouse.

What's more, I found that the garden came to my rescue.  It began with a simple request: 

"Could you go and collect some wildflower seeds?"

This is my latest go-to suggestion, on a par with "Could you catalogue your Polly Pocket accessories?", when it comes to distracting the kids. They have become a little obsessed with seed collecting recently - not least because Ava has begun a production line of seed packets to put in her birthday guest's party bags.

Basically, they look for the ripest seeds amongst the corncockles, cornflowers, poppies and corn chamomile and then shake or scrape them into a container with a close fitting lid.  We tend to use old margarine tubs.  In fact our house appears to be filled with old margarine containers almost none of which have anything close to resembling margarine in them. 

The key is to make sure the seeds stay as dry as possible which means throwing in a few silica gel packets or you can make your own desiccant by putting in a tablespoon of dried milk powder wrapped up in a piece of napkin.

Anyway, with wildflower seeds on their mind, Ava and Oscar swiftly departed outside.  I think they returned about an hour and a half later.  Not only had they collected seeds, they had also made a sand castle city, set up a school for creepy crawlies, bounced on the trampoline and dug up some bones. This latter caused much excitement with discussions about which woodland animal, dinosaur, or mythical creature they could have come from until it became clear they were the carcass from last week's roast chicken.

The only downside? Archie appeared to be completely uninterested in any outdoor distractions. Walking on his mother's head though, now that's what a two-year old calls entertainment.

Comments

[Mark D]

Your poor husband. This weekend he's really going to be put into pay-back mode isnt he.

[Karen - An Artists Garden]

giggle - I would love to have seen the "school for creepy crawlies" and tanks for the tip about dried milk powder.

Hope you are well recovered from your cold and that Archie has stopped walking on your head.

I also hope this comment gets through as I dont think my last one did, I am in admiration of your sunflowers, and wondered how come they stayed so upright.
K

[Scented Sweetpeas]

loved this blog post, sorry but it was amusing although at the time i am sure you weren't amused at all. Hope you feel better soon.

[elizabethm]

I am so admiring of your getting children into the garden ploys and how successful they are! A whole hour and a half! Also thanks for tip about silica with seeds, never thought of that.

[Dawn]

Mark - Actually he disappeared last night for a boys' night out in London. I'm going wrong here somewhere...

Karen - unfortunately there is rarely a day that goes by without Archie walking on my head. I'm hoping it's a passing fad.

SS - Have since recovered. Just in time to pick up another cold. God, how I love the start of term.

Elizabeth - if only the ploys would work on a 2-year-old, I would be a happy woman. GIve me time though, give me time...

[Esther Montgomery]

Are they collecting ground elder seeds? They are brown and appealing. Convolvulus pods are interesting and old man's beard clumps are delightfully fluffy. Party guests will be delighted when, next year, their gardens fill up with irrepressible, wild flower delights.

Esther

P.S. Hope your head's ok.

[Dawn]

Esther - what a genius idea. At this rate parents of Ava's frienda will ban their children from ever attending her partieds again and I will not have to suffer trough another 'bowling party' hell.

[Karen - An Artists Garden]

So the thing is ... I really dont understand why Archie walks on your head, I can understand when you might be having a bit of a lie down with your cold - but in general day to day stuff ... why does he walk on your head?
K
xx

[Dawn]

Karen - I think it's a height thing. He wants to be taller so tends to stand on whatever is at hand. If I am reclining anywhere or scrabbling around trying to find toys wedged under the sofa, this 'whatever' usually turns out to be my head.

I am hoping it's a phase...